Who Is The Most Active User Of Drones Over The United States?

At this point everyone in the world knows what a drone is: some have been bombarded by one, others, thousands of miles away, have done the bombardment, and everyone else is split whether or not this remote-controlled form of international retribution and global Pax Americna should be allowed over the territory of the US - either for purely peaceful, or outright military, as was the case with the Chris Dorner manhunt, purposes. And as with most issues that polarize US society, the approach is one of form opinion first, and investigate the underlying facts later.

To that end on Friday, the Government Accountability Office, or GAO, issued testimony on Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS, or also Drones), titled "Continued Coordination, Operational Data, and Performance Standards Needed to Guide Research and Development" which while full of largely useless information, does have an informative section detailing which entities received Certificates of Waiver or Authorization (COA) or said otherwise "permissions to drone" for a period , from the FAA, which is the ultimate authority granting UAS flyovers in the US. Among the agencies seeking and being granted such permissions are all domestic military; public (academic institutions, federal, state, and local governments including law enforcement organizations); and civil (private sector entities).

So which entity engaged most actively in US-based droning in 2012? It will come as no surprise that of the 391 COAs issued in the past year, the Department of Defense accounted for 201 or, well over half of all authorized droning operations. One can rest assured that America is truly well defended, if mostly from enemies domestic.

The GAO's take on this:

Currently, FAA authorizes all domestic military; public (academic institutions, federal, state, and local governments including law enforcement organizations); and civil (private sector entities) UAS operations on a limited basis after conducting a case-by-case safety review. Federal, state, and local government agencies must apply for Certificates of Waiver or Authorization (COA), while civil operators must apply for special airworthiness certificates in the experimental category. Because special airworthiness certificates do not allow commercial operations, there is currently no means for FAA to authorize commercial UAS operations.

Since FAA started issuing COAs in January 2007, 1,428 COAs have been issued. At present, under COA or special airworthiness certification, UAS operations are permitted for specific time frames (generally 12 to 24 months); locations; and operations. So, one agency can be issued multiple COAs to operate one UAS for the same purpose. In 2012, FAA issued 391 COAs to 121 federal, state, and local government entities across the United States, including law enforcement entities as well as academic institutions (see fig. 2).

According to an industry forecast, the market for government and commercial use of UAS is expected to grow, with small UAS having the greatest growth potential. This forecast estimates that the worldwide UAS market could be potentially worth $89 billion over the next decade. The majority of this estimate is for military-type products (primarily the U.S. military) with the associated research and development for production estimated to be $28.5 billion over the next 10 years. As smaller UAS are expected to continue to improve in technology and decrease in price, their prevalence in the national airspace is expected to increase. The forecast also indicates that the United States could account for 62 percent of the world’s research and development investment for UAS technology over the coming decade.

For those not quite up to speed on the whole droning thing, here is a simplified chart explaining it all:

Finally, the risk factors read like a point by point challenge to either every black hat hacker out there, or Iran, whichever responds first.

Command, Control and Communication Systems

Ensuring uninterrupted command and control for both small and large UAS remains a key obstacle for safe and routine integration into the national airspace. Since UAS fly based on pre-programmed flight paths and by commands from a pilot-operated ground control station, the ability to maintain the integrity of command and control signals are critically important to ensure that the UAS operates as expected and as intended.

Lost Link

In a “lost link” scenario, the command and control link between the UAS and the ground control station is broken because of either environmental or technological issues, which could lead to loss of control of the UAS. To address this type of situation, UAS generally have pre-programmed maneuvers that may direct the UAS to hover or circle in the airspace for a certain period of time to reestablish its radio link. If the link is not reestablished, then the UAS will return to “home” or the location from which it was launched, or execute an intentional flight termination at its current location. It is important that air traffic controllers know where and how all aircraft are operating so they can ensure the safe separation of aircraft in their airspace.18 FAA and MITRE have been measuring the impacts of lost link on national airspace safety and efficiency, but the standardization of lost link procedures, for both small and large UAS, has not been finalized. Currently, according to FAA, each COA has a specific lost link procedure unique to that particular operation and air traffic controllers should have a copy for reference at all times. Until procedures for a lost link scenario have been standardized across all types of UAS, air traffic controllers must rely on the lost link procedures established in each COA to know what a particular UAS will do in such a scenario.

Dedicated Radio-Frequency Spectrum

Progress has been made in obtaining additional dedicated radio-frequency spectrum for UAS operations, but additional dedicated spectrum, including satellite spectrum, is still needed to ensure secure and continuous communications for both small and large UAS operations. The lack of protected radio-frequency spectrum for UAS operations heightens the possibility that a pilot could lose command and control of a UAS. Unlike manned aircraft—which use dedicated, protected radio frequencies—UAS currently use unprotected radio spectrum and, like any other wireless technology, remain vulnerable to unintentional or intentional interference. This remains a key security and safety vulnerability because, in contrast to a manned aircraft in which the pilot has direct physical control of the aircraft, interruption of radio transmissions can sever the UAS’s only means of control. UAS stakeholders are working to develop and validate hardware and standards for communications operating in allocated spectrum. For example, FAA’s UAS Research Management Plan identified 13 activities designed to mitigate command, control, and communication obstacles. One effort focused on characterizing the capacity and performance impact of UAS operations on air-traffic-control communications systems. In addition, according to NASA, it is developing, in conjunction with Rockwell Collins, a prototype radio for control and a non-payload communications data link that would provide secure communications.

GPS Jamming and Spoofing

The jamming of the GPS signal being transmitted to the UAS could also interrupt the command and control of UAS operations. In a GPS jamming scenario, the UAS could potentially lose its ability to determine its location, altitude, and the direction in which it is traveling.19 Low cost devices that jam GPS signals are prevalent. According to one industry expert, GPS jamming would become a larger problem if GPS is the only method for navigating a UAS. This problem can be mitigated by having a second or redundant navigation system onboard the UAS that is not reliant on GPS, which is the case with larger UAS typically operated by DOD and DHS.

Encrypting civil GPS signals could make it more difficult to “spoof” or counterfeit a GPS signal that could interfere with the navigation of a UAS. Non-military GPS signals, unlike military GPS signals, are not encrypted and transparency and predictability make them vulnerable to being counterfeited, or spoofed. In a GPS-spoofing scenario, the GPS signal going from the ground control station to the UAS is first counterfeited and then overpowered. Once the authentic (original) GPS signal is overpowered, the UAS is partially under the control of the “spoofer.” This type of scenario was recently demonstrated by researchers at the University of Texas at Austin at the behest of DHS. During the demonstration at the White Sands Missile Range, researchers spoofed one element of the unencrypted GPS signal of a fairly sophisticated small UAS (mini-helicopter) and induced it to plummet toward the desert floor. The research team found that it was straightforward to mount an intermediate-level spoofing attack, such as controlling the altitude of the UAS, but difficult and expensive to mount a more sophisticated attack. The research team recommended that spoof-resistant navigation systems be required on UAS exceeding 18 pounds.

Human Factors

UAS stakeholders have been working to develop solutions to human factor issues for both small and large UAS. According to FAA, human factors research examines the interaction between people, machines, and the environment to improve performance and reduce errors. Human factors are important for UAS operations as the pilot and aircraft are not collocated. The separation of pilot and aircraft creates a number of issues, including loss of sensory cues valuable for flight control, delays in control and communications loops, and difficulty in scanning the visual environment surrounding the unmanned aircraft. As part of its UAS Integration in the National Airspace System Project, NASA is working to develop human factor guidelines for ground control stations and plans to share the results with RTCA SC-203 to inform recommended guidelines. In addition, the Department of the Army is working to develop universal ground control stations, which would allow UAS pilots to fly different types of UAS without having to be trained on multiple configurations of a ground control station.

I noticed that too. good point Rocky. Perhaps they are monitoring the status of those gummint guaranteed student loans? If you have a gummint guaranteed reverse mortgage from "The Fonz" you better be on your toes.

Formal Education is nothing is you don't apply it or aren't hungry for a result with it. He did it by absorbing every pdf he could find on genetic markers and the cheapness of the available equipment. While the government envisions terrorists making bio-weapons. Most normal smartie pant's are seeking something a little more long term and sustainable.

I know there is a bit of doom and gloom but occassionally the sun peeks out from behind the clouds. Just gotta be there to catch the ray.

Interesting story, but did you take a close look at that website? It's a Cultural Marxist front. Run by Participant Media, which bills itself as "Entertainment that inspires and compels social change".

Yeah. I tend to tune out the political drivel and just look for the gold while data mining, this was interesting because it's so rare to see lately. A genuine piece of good news about a kid doing what kids do well. Challenge assumptions and break the rules because they don't know different. Rebels, true rebels, versus that idiotic dogma sold to the mainstream of people standing next to a symbol.

It goes with my theory that the mainstream media is completely broken and no longer can cover stories that matter while stuffing national fish wrap with nonsense nationalism. Eventually though all the real news ends up in small back page blurbs, back water websites and niche professional news letters/blogs.

I'm hopeful that if this kid is doing this, at 15 challenging the preconceived notions of Cancer research that there is also another kid out there figuring out an agricultural problem, an engineering problem, an energy problem, etc. The goal to education, imo, is for the student to surpass the teacher as we hope for our children's lives to be better than ours.

As hammy as that sounds. The fact he managed to do what he did in the 'modern' education system with peers and teachers telling him it could not be done. It's outstanding. Tenacious and smart. It's a good combo.

"I tend to tune out the political drivel and just look for the gold while data mining"

That's great, but we can't patronize this shit, whether it's in the mainstream media, or on the internet. Everyone needs to avoid websites like that one for the exact same reason we need to avoid the MSM. By patronizing it, we feed it. Cut off their page views and you will cut off their ad support.

Those universities and colleges are recycling Federal grant money back to the military while simultaneously educating the Sons and Daughters of PLA (Chinese) Military Officials who are here to spy while in graduate degree programs at Ivy League institutions bankrupting the taxpayer with overpriced tuition and comcomittant student loans.

All this talk about drones has tempted me to mount a ladder to my roof and paint "Lick my sack, joystick jockeys" across the surface of said roof. Alas, I'll have to forego that juvenile pleasure, because that would surely move my position on the drone-kill list even higher. I'm content to be in the low 900s on that list at present.

Relax? Do you realize how many different intelligence agencies are under the umbrella of the Department of Defense? I'll relax only when somebody invents a ground-to-drone missile available for sale to Joe Sixpack.

Oh no, there's many positive things that can come from drones, besides war and invading privacy. There's also disruption of commercial air traffic with drones that lose their line-of-sight control; endangering commercial air traffic with drones that lose their line-of-sight control; property damage from out-of-control drones that crash on buildings, cars, people, and animals; and the waste of perfectly good ammunition when people get a little crazy that Big Brother is watching and blast a magazine's worth at a drone they can't hope to hit. You guys never look on the bright side of life.

Not to mention that there's some Rambos out there that can't wait to take out a bankster or political enemy. And then you have your corporate enemies and just people that would takeover control for the fun of it.

As I see it this is a perfect excuse, not to mention the asteroids, to quit flying. I don't like it to begin with.

Here's some more fun info.

The Department of Homeland Security is set to purchase a further 21.6 million rounds of ammunition to add to the 1.6 billion bullets it has already obtained...

Extrapolating the figures, the DHS has purchased enough bullets over the last 10 months to wage a full scale war for almost 30 years.

So the FEDs are going to Fucking kill us. If not then they are wasting taxpayer money.

No, DHS is using debtbux to drive up the price of ammo for the rest of us. Pathetic, just pathetic. Never mind the price, I just ordered 5 boxes of Hornady lit-up 3,000 fps .308. Can't wait 'til that first low-flyer appears over my backyard.

Nah, they can bring up charges without even mentioning the illegal drone that was illegally spying on you. They can charge you with discharge of a weapon in an illegal area and claim that you said you were shooting at a squirrel or some such rot. You really think they're going to allow public records of illegal drone flight paths to come to light?

On December 23, 2002, an Iraqi MiG-25 shot down a U.S. Air Force unmanned MQ-1 Predator drone, which was performing armed reconnaissance over Iraq. This was the first time in history that an aircraft and an unmanned drone had engaged in combat. Predators had been armed with AIM-92 Stinger air-to-air missiles, and were being used to "bait" Iraqi fighter aircraft, then run. In this incident, the Predator did not run, but instead fired one of the Stingers, which missed, while the MiG's missile did not.

I think the thing to do with these pieces of shit is, just as the article says, interfere with its communications, get it flying in a circle and do what we love to do...down here...whether the target is moving or the shooter is moving.

Laugh not...I was unaware of the whole issue of these mini-drones till I heard a weird buzzing sound and come outside one day last August to see this http://www.sensefly.com/products/swinglet-camfloating above my fields...bird of prey was exactly what it looked like at first glance... then the buzzing, and the weird gyrations hooked up in my head, and I realized it was a remote controlled object, with some kind of control issue that the operator was attempting to fix mid-air. Some kid with an airplane. Cept, I live so far out in the middle of nowhere the chances of that were bout zero. Still didn't clue in till I went back inside and looked up the image I had seen...the serrated wings made it easy.

That's when I was disabused of my lingering notions of 'privacy' in the C21st century. These things are all over the place now...and no matter what the manufacturers might say...can be weaponized in a snap!

I have heard the drones are run out of the AF base in Las Vegas. So you do your intel and discover who the young drone operators are. Then you hire some of the high class whores to lure the operators into a compromising situation.

Once at the hotel room the operators are attacked. Imagine being a young healthy 20 year old male that has been castrated.

Or you could just have someone snipe the drone operator as they are getting into their car at a 7/11.

Either way you don't try to kill the drone flying at 30,000 feet. You get the operator.

This is just a mental exercise. In no way am I trying to overthrow the us government that I love and would defend with my life if need be. For the record I love America and I love our government even more so please don't drone me.

Tyler Durden needs to refocus his attention on the issues at hand. Managing a blog is a tough business and I worry that Mr Durden tries to hard to appease the diverse group that reads here instead of focusing on the real talent of this blog - showing how bad the depression we are in is.

Not many sites are focusing on this with stocks at all time highs and even though those of us who worked hard to get a retirement account are happy, many others are not as fortunate. We need to refocus back to the problem - we need to make a recovery happen.

And for those of you who will berate me (I have gotten used to coming in here and taking the gloves off), please, do your best.

I find that funny, since the real Paul Krugman doesn't know the difference between two, two hundred, two million, and two billion. Well, okay, he actually knows the difference, but he just doesn't give a shit.

If Congress made it a law to report your soul-mate to authorities for speaking out against Congress...would you do this happily, also? How about, forcing you to buy something from some company somewhere. Still happy to do it?

Paul.....next time you're on CNBS please try not to drool on Mariah Bootyroma's cleavage. You're starting to slobber as you grow older and blather your nonsense and leaning over your interviewer's cleavage is somewhat impolite. I understand lusting after the aforementioned boozy Bootyroma but you need to can it.

The domestic use of drones has everything to do with how bad the depression is. Our government is turning its eyes inward and beginning to regard the citizenry as potential enemies. Such things are usually the last desperate acts of a dying nation.

I really wonder how low they can take the PM mkts. The miners' margins will go from minimal to nonexistent if their output keeps getting monkeyhammered, as they deal with geopolitical risk, labor strife, and their energy costs thanks to inflation. Thus supply gets squeezed and especially for silver as a beta play since it is a byproduct in mining and gets consumed in industry, this would be super bullish for it.

And the other thing is, I do think they are trying to shake the weak hands, but most people who have the guts to face up to what is going on/have 'awoken' to the evil going on with inflation, .gov tyranny, etc., are not dumb enough to sell their phyzz PMs, and conversely are quite thrilled to trade paper fiat for PMs at a discount on these raids. The hands are getting stronger I guess is my thesis.

Either way the decoupling of paper and actual underlying phyzz PMs keeps pushing forth.

The city of Seattle has overwhelmingly voted against letting the SPD use drones in city limits-so now they (2) are 'presumably' being sold-funny but the SPD had little to say one way or the other about it

Look at these clowns .... Pelosi, Paneta, Hillary, Obama .... you think these idiots outsmart the KGB .... they're employee, terrestial drones of the KGB ! Where are the 8 hours of missing Obama tapes .... while Benghazi was going on ? Fuel rods for North Korea .... yes ! Hanoi offers us Camranh bay as a naval base .... no, we don't want to offend the Chicoms .... and the leftists would lose all their talking points !